BankAmericard was renamed Visa in 1976 to create a global card brand.
Bank of America launched BankAmericard in 1958 in Fresno, California. The card was later licensed to other banks, but the original name tied it closely to one American institution. As the network expanded internationally, its operators sought a shorter, more neutral identity.
The name Visa was adopted in 1976. It allowed participating banks around the world to market cards under a shared brand without presenting themselves as branches of Bank of America. The Visa logo and network subsequently became familiar in payment systems worldwide.
A common mix-up is confusing Visa with Mastercard. Mastercard originated from the Interbank Card Association, while Visa developed from BankAmericard. Visa is the network and brand; individual banks issue most Visa cards to customers.